Beyond the DoNotCall list...

[ahhaa]

Does anybody know of PC software that does what this does? Will a UK phone gizmo work in North America?

Truecall as described on BBC
Gizmo puts cold callers on hold

The system basically intercepts all calls. If it recognises them as a friend or a member of the user's family - numbers on the so-called star list created by the user - it lets them through as normal. If the caller's number is on a zap list - numbers of telemarketers or other nuisance callers - the device answers it, and all future calls from that number, with an automated message which means the phone does not ring at all.

If the system doesn't recognise the caller's number, or the caller withholds their number, it asks them who they are, puts them on hold and then rings the user's phone. The user has the option of taking the call, having the system take a message, or they can reject the call and add the number to the "zap" list.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7682111.stm
http://www.truecall.co.uk/

[Noahtuck]

I've had something like that for about 10 years.

It's a caller ID unit that holds 100 numbers, if someone calls that i don't want calling again, i just hit the reject button while displaying that number, then after that when that number calls, the first ring it answers and says "calls from this number are not accepted and hangs up.

It also has a setting so if someone calls and blocks their number it answers and say's this number does not accept blocked calls, please disable your call blocking and try again.

Not exactly what that does but it's nice.
Their must be something around that would work in the U.S.

I knew someone who had a service EXACTLY like that once, it was through the phone company though.
I called once and it answered, asked who it was, then a minute later she answered the phone.. i was like WTF was that ?? And she said it was something she just got activated because of some prank calls.

[jagabo]

Similar to this: http://jfteck.com/index.htm
and this: http://www.callsilencer.com/

I think the big problem is that someone holds patents on these types of call screening devices and won't let anyone make them. Probably one of the phone companies who want to sell you there screening service for a monthly fee.

[DereX888]

I use old computer as one big answering machine (accessible thru home network and beyond).
With my modified Voyetra answering machine software for all unknown and not on the list numbers it simply answers the call right away, says "leave message" and allows for 15sec message in a separate inbox. This 'technique' throws off almost all pre-recorded junk messages as they usually start to play after that time, while "human" garbage salespeople usually don't leave any messages or they just have not enough time to do so.
All other "normal" calls, where the caller's ID is on my family/friends/allowed list, are being waited for typical 4 rings allowing me the time to answer before they are transferred to answering machine's inbox, and they have no time limits for their messages.
Simple and so effective that I never had any problem for past 8-9 years of using it

I have recently modified it by removing fax autoanswer. I noticed that in the past 5+ years or so I don't even get any fax spam... I guess faxing is truly dead nowadays.

[Verify]

We use an alternate approach, we let our answering machine filter all of our incoming calls: we never pick-up the phone before it answers an incoming call.

The machine is a little strange (it is a Brother IntelliFAX 1570MC which was meant for small business use) in that it will pick-up on the second ring, will issue a single beep, pause for a few seconds (waiting for a fax), and then issue our recorded greeting.

Our friends are used to it and will start talking after the beep. If we are nearby and pick-up before the completion of our recorded message, the incoming call is not recorded. We do not bother picking up call that we do not want to answer.

The only small downside is that we are sometimes too far away to hear the incoming call and will either have to get up and go to the machine or let it record the call and respond later.

Works for us.

[ahhaa]

Thanks guys!

The other software I really want is one that'd sit on hold for you while they are saying
'Your call is really unimportant to us...'
and then beep me when a human comes on the line.

[Noahtuck]

and then beep me when a human comes on the line.

LMAO!!!

Oh god i hate those!!!!!!!
If a number calls that is not on my blocked list and my machine answers or i answer, and you hear that computer voice saying, please wait for a rep to answer

Are you F'n kidding me !?!?!?! Some schmuck calls ME to bother ME & they expect ME to sit on hold and wait for them

I've come home to find these weird automated calls looking for someone i've never heard of, some kind of debt collectors, saying if you are this person continue to listen, if you are NOT this person hang up..... after a few seconds it then say's, by continuing to listen to this message you acknowledge you are that person

The funniest one was when i heard the same message by a REAL person!!!
They left a number, i call it back and tell this person, not only does this person not live here & i have i never heard of this person, & are you people really that retarded that you actually told my answering machine if it continued to listen IT was this person
So i guess my answering machine is this person you are looking for because it did not hang up & continued to listen because you kept talking AFTER you told it to hang up!!!
He did not know what to say to that and i told them to lose my number and never call back!!!
LOL!!!

[DereX888]

When I have time and mood I'll start talking with them and politely ask them to wait because of whatever and place them on hold to see how long they can last There was one dumb son-of-a-gun waiting good 20 min until he finally gave up hahaha